Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of checking in an airline passenger, comprising the steps of: registering a passenger for an SMS based check in system, and during that registration, capturing data about the passenger; receiving a request SMS message from the passenger, after registration, the request message indicating an intention to check in for a flight; replying to the request message, by SMS, with a confirmation message; transmitting by SMS, a boarding pass message to the same passenger, the boarding pass message being an encoded representation of data unique to the passenger, the SMS boarding pass message being displayable by the passenger as a boarding pass image, the image being optically scannable; then scanning the passenger's boarding pass image and decoding it and verifying the passenger's identity from the decoded image.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein: data captured about the passenger during registration comprises a telephone number to which a future SMS confirmation messages are sent.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein: data captured about the passenger during registration comprises a password that is used during a later check in to verify a passenger.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein: registering a passenger comprises receiving a registration request SMS message from the passenger.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein: the registration request SMS message from the passenger further comprises the passenger transmitting their frequent flyer number.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein: registration results in a sending of coded baggage labels, tags or printed inserts to the passenger for use during baggage check-in.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the boarding pass image is a bar code.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein: the bar code is a two dimensional barcode.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the boarding pass image is an alphanumeric code.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein: the alphanumeric code displays data checkpoints or reference characters.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein: transmitting by SMS of the boarding pass message to the passenger occurs upon the passenger sending an SMS message that indicates that they have no luggage.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein: transmitting by SMS of the boarding pass message to the passenger occurs upon the passenger successfully checking in their luggage.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the boarding pass message further comprises seating allocation information that is displayable.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the boarding pass image is captured, for boarding purposes, by a digital camera.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein: a pre-determined interval is established before which a passenger may not request to check in by SMS.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein: the interval is about 6 hours.
17. A method of checking in an airline passenger, comprising the steps of: registering a passenger for an SMS based check in system, and during that registration, capturing data about the passenger; receiving a passenger's baggage, the baggage being presented by the passenger together with a printed baggage identification code identifying the passenger in cryptographically secure format; using the successful decryption and reconciliation of the baggage identification code to trigger the transmission by SMS, of a boarding pass message to the same passenger, the boarding pass message being an encoded representation of data unique to the passenger, the SMS boarding pass message being displayable by the passenger as a boarding pass image, the image being optically scannable; then scanning the passenger's boarding pass image and decoding it and verifying the passenger's identity from the decoded image.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein: the baggage identification code is a barcode representing a unique numeric code obtained from an encryption algorithm and essentially permanent to a passenger.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein: the baggage identification code is transmitted to the passenger by email as an attachment to or accompanying an e-ticket, the code being printable by the passenger on an ordinary printer.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein: the baggage identification code is printable and transmitted to the passenger after successful registration that includes the passenger submitting a mobile telephone number to which future SMS messages will be sent.
Unknown
October 2, 2007
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